Power strip does 'The Clapper' one better

(Credit: Watt Stopper)

Best intentions aside, even the greenest of us can forget to conserve energy once in awhile, especially if we have other priorities. Watt Stopper understands this, which is why it came up with the "Isole IDP-3050."

No ordinary power strip, the Isole controls six outlets with a sensor that detects whether a person is in the vicinity. If no one seems to be within 300 square feet, its "passive infrared technology" cuts off power when the plugged-in gadgets aren't in use from a programmable 30 seconds to 30 minutes.

There's just one problem: Only two of the strip's eight outlets aren't controlled by the sensor. And with our personal hopelessly tangled workstation, that's about nine short. Still, if we could find a way to make the Isole work, it could be a useful addition in our relentless pursuit of laziness.